U.S. patent application number 09/487737 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-01 for haptic feedback for touchpads and other touch controls.
Invention is credited to Riegel, James R., Rosenberg, Louis B..
Application Number | 20010035854 09/487737 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 23936915 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010035854 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Rosenberg, Louis B. ; et
al. |
November 1, 2001 |
Haptic feedback for touchpads and other touch controls
Abstract
A haptic feedback planar touch control used to provide input to
a computer. A touch input device includes a planar touch surface
that inputs a position signal to a processor of the computer based
on a location of user contact on the touch surface. The computer
can position a cursor in a displayed graphical environment based at
least in part on the position signal, or perform a different
function. At least one actuator is also coupled to the touch input
device and outputs a force to provide a haptic sensation to the
user contacting the touch surface. The touch input device can be a
touchpad separate from the computer's display screen, or can be a
touch screen. Output haptic sensations on the touch input device
can include pulses, vibrations, and spatial textures. The touch
input device can include multiple different regions to control
different computer functions.
Inventors: |
Rosenberg, Louis B.; (San
Jose, CA) ; Riegel, James R.; (Santa Clara,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
James r. Riegel
P. O Box 52037
Palo Alto
CA
94303-0746
US
|
Family ID: |
23936915 |
Appl. No.: |
09/487737 |
Filed: |
January 19, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09487737 |
Jan 19, 2000 |
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09467309 |
Dec 17, 1999 |
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09467309 |
Dec 17, 1999 |
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09156802 |
Sep 17, 1998 |
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6184868 |
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09467309 |
Dec 17, 1999 |
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09103281 |
Jun 23, 1998 |
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6088019 |
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09467309 |
Dec 17, 1999 |
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09253132 |
Feb 18, 1999 |
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6243078 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
345/156 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63F 13/426 20140902;
A63F 13/92 20140902; A63F 13/06 20130101; H01H 2003/008 20130101;
H04L 69/329 20130101; A63F 13/20 20140902; G06F 1/1616 20130101;
G06F 1/169 20130101; G06F 3/011 20130101; G06F 3/041 20130101; H01H
2215/052 20130101; G06F 3/03547 20130101; G06F 3/03545 20130101;
A63F 2300/8017 20130101; G06F 3/03543 20130101; G06F 3/0416
20130101; G06F 2203/013 20130101; G06F 1/1626 20130101; G06F
3/04847 20130101; G06F 3/0488 20130101; A63F 13/2145 20140902; G06F
3/0338 20130101; A63F 2300/1037 20130101; A63F 2300/1062 20130101;
G06F 2203/014 20130101; G06F 3/04855 20130101; G06F 2203/015
20130101; G06F 3/016 20130101; A63F 2300/1075 20130101; G06F 1/1692
20130101; G06F 3/0362 20130101; A63F 13/285 20140902 |
Class at
Publication: |
345/156 |
International
Class: |
G09G 005/00 |
Claims
What is claim is:
1. A haptic feedback touch control for inputting signals to a
computer and for outputting forces to a user of the touch control,
the touch control comprising: a touch input device including an
approximately planar touch surface operative to input a position
signal to a processor of said computer based on a location on said
touch surface which said user contacts, said position signal
representing a location in two dimensions, wherein said computer
positions a cursor in a graphical environment displayed on a
display device based at least in part on said position signal; and
at least one actuator coupled to said touch input device, said
actuator outputting a force on said touch input device to provide a
haptic sensation to said user contacting said touch surface,
wherein said actuator outputs said force based on force information
output by said processor, said actuator outputting a force directly
on said touch input device.
2. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said touch input device is a touchpad, said touchpad being separate
from a display screen of said computer.
3. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said touch input device is included in a display screen of said
computer as a touch screen.
4. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said touch input device is integrated in a housing of said
computer.
5. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 4 wherein
said computer is a portable computer.
6. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said touch input device is provided in a housing that is separate
from said computer.
7. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said user contacts said touch surface with a finger of said
user.
8. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said user contacts said touch surface with a physical object held
by said user.
9. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 8 wherein
said physical object is a stylus.
10. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said touch input device is integrated in a housing of a handheld
device operated by at least one hand of a user.
11. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 10 wherein
said handheld device is a remote control device for controlling
functions of an electronic device or appliance.
12. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said at least one actuator is a first actuator, and further
comprising at least one additional actuator coupled to said touch
input device for outputting a force on said touch input device.
13. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said force is a linear force output approximately perpendicularly
to a plane of said touch surface of said touch input device.
14. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 13 wherein
said actuator is a linear actuator that provides an output force in
a linear degree of freedom, and wherein said actuator is rigidly
coupled to said touchpad and rigidly coupled to a grounded
housing.
15. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 13 wherein
said actuator is a rotary actuator that provides an output force in
a rotary degree of freedom, said output force being converted to
said linear force on said touch input device.
16. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said actuator includes a piezo-electric actuator.
17. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said actuator includes a voice coil actuator.
18. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said actuator includes a pager motor.
19. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said actuator includes a solenoid.
20. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 further
comprising a touch device microprocessor separate from said
processor and providing control signals to control said
actuator.
21. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said actuator outputs a vibration or a pulse tactile sensation on
said touch input device.
22. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said touch input device includes a plurality of different regions,
wherein at least one of said regions provides said position signal
and at least one other region provides a signal that is used by
said computer to control a different function.
23. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 22 wherein
said different function includes a rate control function of a
value.
24. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 22 wherein
said different function includes a button press.
25. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 22 wherein
at least one of said regions is associated with a different haptic
sensation output on said touch input device than another one of
said regions.
26. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 22 wherein
a haptic sensation is output when said user moves a contacting
object from one of said regions to another one of said regions.
27. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 further
comprising a sensor for detecting motion or position of said touch
input device approximately perpendicularly to said touch surface,
wherein an input signal based on said detected motion or position
is sent to said computer.
28. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
said processor outputs said force information to provide said
haptic sensation in accordance with an interaction of said cursor
with a graphical object in said graphical environment.
29. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein a
menu is displayed in said graphical environment, wherein when said
cursor is moved between menu elements in said menu, a pulse is
output on said touch input device, said pulse causing said touch
input device to move along said z-axis and conveying said pulse to
said user contacting said touch surface.
30. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein
an icon is displayed in said graphical environment, wherein when
said cursor is moved over said icon, a pulse is output on said
touch input device, said pulse causing said touch input device to
move along said z-axis and conveying said pulse to said user
contacting said touch surface.
31. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein a
menu is displayed in said graphical environment, wherein when said
cursor is moved between menu elements in said menu, a pulse is
output on said touch input device, said pulse causing said touch
input device to move along said z-axis and conveying said pulse to
said user contacting said touch surface.
32. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 1 wherein a
web page is displayed in said graphical environment and a hyperlink
is displayed on said web page, wherein when said cursor is moved
over said hyperlink, a pulse is output on said touch input device,
said pulse causing said touch input device to move along said
z-axis and conveying said pulse to said user contacting said touch
surface.
33. A haptic feedback touch control for inputting signals to a
computer and for outputting forces to a user of the touch control,
the touch control comprising: a touch input device including an
approximately planar touch surface operative to input a position
signal to a processor of said computer based on a location on said
touch surface which said user contacts, said position signal
representing a location in two dimensions, wherein said computer
positions a cursor in a graphical environment displayed on a
display device based at least in part on said position signal; and
an actuator coupled to said touch input device, said actuator
coupled to an inertial mass, wherein said actuator outputs an
inertial force approximately along an axis perpendicular to said
planar touch surface, wherein said inertial force is transmitted
through said touch input device to said user contacting said touch
surface.
34. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 33 wherein
said actuator is a linear actuator that moves said inertial mass
bi-directionally along a linear axis that is substantially
perpendicular to said planar touch surface.
35. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 33 wherein
said touch input device is a touchpad separate from a display
screen of said computer.
36. A haptic feedback touch control as recited in claim 33 wherein
said touch input device is included in a display device of said
computer to provide a touch screen.
37. A method for providing haptic feedback to a touch input device
that provides input to a computer device, said computer device
implementing a graphical environment, the method comprising:
providing said touch input device that is contacted by a user, said
touch input device including at least one sensor for determining a
location of said contact on a planar surface of said touch input
device by said user and providing said computer device with a
position signal indicating said location, wherein said computer
device positions a cursor in said graphical environment based at
least in part on said position signal; and providing an actuator
coupled to said touch input device, said actuator receiving control
signals derived from force information output by said computer
device, wherein said force information causes said actuator to
output a force on said touch input device, said force being
correlated with an interaction occurring in said graphical
environment between said cursor and a different graphical
object.
38. A method as recited in claim 37 wherein said force output on
said touch input device is a linear force approximately
perpendicular to said surface of said touch input device.
39. A method as recited in claim 37 wherein a touch device
microprocessor, separate from a host processor of said computer
device, receives said force information from said host processor
and causes said control signals to be sent to said actuator.
40. A method as recited in claim 37 wherein said interaction
occurring in said graphical environment includes a collision
between said cursor and said different graphical object.
41. A method as recited in claim 37 wherein said interaction
occurring in said graphical environment includes a selection of
said different graphical object by said cursor, wherein said
different graphical object is one of an icon, a window, and a menu
item.
42. A method as recited in claim 37 wherein said touch input device
is moveable along an axis approximately perpendicular to said
planar surface of said touch input device, wherein said movement
along said axis is sensed and information representative of said
movement is sent to said computer device.
43. A method as recited in claim 37 wherein said computer device is
portable, said touch input device is integrated in a housing of
said computer device, and said actuator is a piezoelectric
actuator.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending
patent application Ser. No. 09/______, entitled "Haptic Feedback
for Directional Control Pads," filed Dec. 17, 1999 by Martin et
al., and which is incorporated herein by reference in its
entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the interfacing
with computer and mechanical devices by a user, and more
particularly to devices used to interface with computer systems and
electronic devices and which provide haptic feedback to the
user.
[0003] Humans interface with electronic and mechanical devices in a
variety of applications, and the need for a more natural,
easy-to-use, and informative interface is a constant concern. In
the context of the present invention, humans interface with
computer devices for a variety of applications. One such
application is interacting with computer-generated environments
such as games, simulations, and application programs. Computer
input devices such as mice and trackballs are often used to control
a cursor within a graphical environment and provide input in these
applications.
[0004] In some interface devices, force feedback or tactile
feedback is also provided to the user, collectively known herein as
"haptic feedback." For example, haptic versions of joysticks, mice,
gamepads, steering wheels, or other types of devices can output
forces to the user based on events or interactions occurring within
the graphical environment, such as in a game or other application
program.
[0005] In portable computer or electronic devices, such as laptop
computers, mice typically too large a workspace to be practical. As
a result, more compact devices such as trackballs are often used. A
more popular device for portable computers are "touchpads," which
are small rectangular, planar pads provided near the keyboard of
the computer. The touchpads senses the location of a pointing
object by any of a variety of sensing technologies, such as
capacitive sensors or pressure sensors that detect pressure applied
to the touchpad. The user contacts the touchpad most commonly with
a fingertip and moves his or her finger on the pad to move a cursor
displayed in the graphical environment. In other embodiments, the
user can operate a stylus in conjunction with the touchpad by
pressing the stylus tip on the touchpad and moving the stylus.
[0006] One problem with existing touchpads is that there is no
haptic feedback provided to the user. The user of a touchpad is
therefore not able to experience haptic sensations that assist and
inform the user of targeting and other control tasks within the
graphical environment. The touchpads of the prior art also cannot
take advantage of existing haptic-enabled software run on the
portable computer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention is directed to a haptic feedback
planar touch control used to provide input to a computer system.
The control can be a touchpad provided on a portable computer, or
can be a touch screen found on a variety of devices. The haptic
sensations output on the touch control enhance interactions and
manipulations in a displayed graphical environment or when
controlling an electronic device.
[0008] More specifically, the present invention relates to a haptic
feedback touch control for inputting signals to a computer and for
outputting forces to a user of the touch control. The control
includes a touch input device including an approximately planar
touch surface operative to input a position signal to a processor
of said computer based on a location of user contact on the touch
surface. The computer positions a cursor in a graphical environment
displayed on a display device based at least in part on the
position signal. At least one actuator is also coupled to the touch
input device and outputs a force on the touch input device to
provide a haptic sensation to the user contacting the touch
surface. The actuator outputs the force based on force information
output by the processor to the actuator.
[0009] The touch input device can be a touchpad separate from a
display screen of the computer, or can be included in a display
screen of the computer as a touch screen. The touch input device
can be integrated in a housing of the computer or handheld device,
or provided in a housing that is separate from the computer. The
user contacts the touch surface with a finger, a stylus, or other
object. The force is preferably a linear force output approximately
perpendicularly to a plane of the touch surface of the touch input
device, and the actuator can include a piezo-electric actuator, a
voice coil actuator, a pager motor, a solenoid, or other type of
actuator. In one embodiment, the actuator is coupled between the
touch input device and a grounded surface. In another embodiment,
the actuator is coupled to an inertial mass, wherein said actuator
outputs an inertial force on the touch input device approximately
along an axis perpendicular to the planar touch surface. A touch
device microprocessor separate from the main processor of the
computer can receive force information from the host computer and
provide control signals based on the force information to control
the actuator.
[0010] The haptic sensations, such as a pulse, vibration, or
spatial texture, are preferably output in accordance with an
interaction of a controlled cursor with a graphical object in the
graphical environment. For example, a pulse can be output when the
cursor is moved between menu elements in a menu, moved over said
icon, or moved over a hyperlink. The touch input device can include
multiple different regions, where at least one of the regions
provides the position signal and at least one other region provides
a signal that is used by the computer to control a different
function, such as rate control function of a value or a button
press. Different regions and borders between regions can be
associated with different haptic sensations.
[0011] The present invention advantageously provides haptic
feedback to a planar touch control device of a computer, such as a
touchpad or touch screen. The haptic feedback can assist and inform
the user of interactions and events within a graphical user
interface or other environment and ease cursor targeting tasks.
Furthermore, the invention allows portable computer devices having
such touch controls to take advantage of existing haptic feedback
enabled software. The haptic touch devices disclosed herein are
also inexpensive, compact and consume low power, allowing them to
be easily incorporated into a wide variety of portable and desktop
computers and electronic devices.
[0012] These and other advantages of the present invention will
become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the
following specification of the invention and a study of the several
figures of the drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a haptic touchpad of the
present invention;
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a remote control device
including the touchpad of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the
touchpad of the present invention including one or more actuators
coupled to the underside of the touchpad;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a first embodiment of
the present invention in which a piezo-electric actuator is
directly coupled to the touchpad of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a second embodiment of
the touchpad of the present invention including a linear
actuator;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a third embodiment of
the touchpad of the present invention having an inertial mass;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a top plan view of an example of a touchpad of the
present invention having different control regions; and
[0020] FIGS. 8a and 8b are top plan and side cross sectional views,
respectively, of a touch screen embodiment of the present
invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portable computer 10
including a haptic touchpad of the present invention. Computer 10
is preferably a portable or "laptop" computer that can be carried
or otherwise transported by the user and may be powered by
batteries or other portable energy source in addition to other more
stationary power sources. Computer 10 preferably runs one or more
host application programs with which a user is interacting via
peripherals.
[0022] Computer 10 may include the various input and output devices
as shown, including a display device 12 for outputting graphical
images to the user, a keyboard 14 for providing character or toggle
input from the user to the computer, and a touchpad 16 of the
present invention. Display device 12 can be any of a variety of
types of display devices; flat-panel displays are most common on
portable computers. Display device 12 can display a graphical
environment 18 based on application programs and/or operating
systems that are running, such as a graphical user interface (GUI),
that can include a cursor 20 that can be moved by user input, as
well as windows 22, icons 24, and other graphical objects well
known in GUI environments. Other devices may also be incorporated
or coupled to the computer 10, such as storage devices (hard disk
drive, DVD-ROM drive, etc.), network server or clients, game
controllers, etc. In alternate embodiments, the computer 10 can
take a wide variety of forms, including computing devices that rest
on a tabletop or other surface, stand-up arcade game machines,
other portable devices or devices worn on the person, handheld or
used with a single hand of the user, etc. For example, host
computer 10 can be a video game console, personal computer,
workstation, a television "set top box" or a "network computer", or
other computing or electronic device.
[0023] Touchpad device 16 of the present invention preferably
appears externally to be similar to the touchpads of the prior art.
Pad 16 includes a planar, rectangular smooth surface that can be
positioned below the keyboard 14 on the housing of the computer 10,
as shown, or may be positioned at other areas of the housing. When
the user operates the computer 10, the user may conveniently place
a fingertip or other object on the touchpad 16 and move the
fingertip to correspondingly move cursor 20 in the graphical
environment 18.
[0024] In operation, the touchpad 16 inputs coordinate data to the
main microprocessor(s) of the computer 10 based on the sensed
location of an object on (or near) the touchpad. As with many
touchpads of the prior art, touchpad 16 can be capacitive,
resistive, or use a different type of sensing. Some existing
touchpad embodiments are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos.
5,521,336 and 5,943,044. Capacitive touchpads typically sense the
location of an object on or near the surface of the touchpad based
on capacitive coupling between capacitors in the touchpad and the
object. Resistive touchpads are typically pressure-sensitive,
detecting the pressure of a finger, stylus, or other object against
the pad, where the pressure causes conductive layers, traces,
switches, etc. in the pad to electrically connect. Some resistive
or other types of touchpads can detect the amount of pressure
applied by the user and can use the degree of pressure for
proportional or variable input to the computer 10. Resistive
touchpads typically are at least partially deformable, so that when
a pressure is applied to a particular location, the conductors at
that location are brought into electrical contact. Such
deformability can be useful in the present invention since it can
potentially amplify the magnitude of output forces such as pulses
or vibrations on the touchpad as used in the present invention.
Forces can be amplified if a tuned compliant suspension is provided
between an actuator and the object that is moved, as described in
provisional application Ser. No. 60/157,206, incorporated herein by
reference. Capacitive touchpads and other types of touchpads that
do not require significant contact pressure may be better suited
for the present invention in many embodiments, since excessive
pressure on the touchpad may in some cases interfere with the
motion of the touchpad for haptic feedback. Other types of sensing
technologies can also be used in the touchpad. Herein, the term
"touchpad" preferably includes the surface of the touchpad 16 as
well as any sensing apparatus included in the touchpad unit.
[0025] Touchpad 16 preferably operates similarly to existing
touchpads, where the speed of the fingertip on the touchpad
correlates to the distance that the cursor is moved in the
graphical environment. For example, if the user moves his or her
finger quickly across the pad, the cursor is moved a greater
distance than if the user moves the fingertip more slowly. If the
user's finger reaches the edge of the touchpad before the cursor
reaches a desired destination in that direction, then the user can
simply move his or her finger off the touchpad, reposition the
finger away from the edge, and continue moving the cursor. This is
an "indexing" function similar to lifting a mouse off a surface to
change the offset between mouse position and cursor. Furthermore,
many touchpads can be provided with particular regions that are
each assigned to particular functions that can be unrelated to
cursor positioning. Such an embodiment is described in greater
detail below with respect to FIG. 7. In some embodiments the
touchpad 16 may also allow a user to "tap" the touchpad (rapidly
touch and remove the object from the pad) in a particular location
to provide a command. For example, the user can tap or "double tap"
the pad with a finger while the controlled cursor is over an icon
to select that icon.
[0026] In the present invention, the touchpad 16 is provided with
the ability to output haptic feedback such as tactile sensations to
the user who is physically contacting the touchpad 16. Various
embodiments detailing the structure of the haptic feedback touchpad
are described in greater detail below. Preferably, the forces
output on the touchpad are linear (or approximately linear) and
oriented along the z-axis, approximately perpendicular to the
surface of the touchpad 16 and the top surface of computer 10. In a
different embodiment, forces can be applied to the touchpad 16 to
cause side-to-side (e.g., x-y) motion of the pad in the plane of
its surface in addition to or instead of z-axis motion, although
such motion is not preferred.
[0027] Using one or more actuators coupled to the touchpad 16, a
variety of haptic sensations can be output to the user who is
contacting the pad. For example, jolts, vibrations (varying or
constant amplitude), and textures can be output. Forces output on
the pad can be at least in part based on the location of the finger
on the pad or the state of a controlled object in the graphical
environment of the host computer 10, and/or independent of finger
position or object state. Such forces output on the touchpad 16 are
considered "computer-controlled" since a microprocessor or other
electronic controller is controlling the magnitude and/or direction
of the force output of the actuator(s) using electronic signals.
Preferably, the entire pad 16 is provided with haptic sensations as
a single unitary member; in other embodiments, individually-moving
portions of the pad can each be provided with its own haptic
feedback actuator and related transmissions so that haptic
sensations can be provided for only a particular portion. For
example, some embodiments may include a touchpad having different
portions that may be flexed or otherwise moved with respect to
other portions of the pad.
[0028] In other embodiments, the touchpad 16 can be provided in a
separate housing that is connected to a port of the computer 10 via
a cable or via wireless transmission and which receives force
information from and sends position information to the computer 10.
For example, Universal Serial Bus (USB), Firewire, or a standard
serial bus can connect such a touchpad to the computer 10. In such
an embodiment, the computer 10 can be any desktop or stationary
computer or device and need not be a portable device.
[0029] One or more buttons 26 can also be provided on the housing
of the computer 10 to be used in conjunction with the touchpad 16.
The user's hands have easy access to the buttons, each of which may
be pressed by the user to provide a distinct input signal to the
host computer 12. Typically, each button 26 corresponds to a
similar button found on a mouse input device, so that a left button
can be used to select a graphical object (click or double click), a
right button can bring up a context menu, etc. In some embodiments,
one or more of the buttons 26 can be provided with tactile feedback
as described in copending patent applications Ser. No. 09/156,802
and 09/______, entitled, "Haptic Feedback for Directional Control
Pads," filed Dec. 12, 1999, and both incorporated herein by
reference. Other features of these disclosures may also be used
with the present invention.
[0030] Furthermore, in some embodiments, one or more moveable
portions 28 of the housing of the computer device 10 can be
included which is contacted by the user when the user operates the
touchpad 16 and which can provide haptic feedback. Having a
moveable portion of a housing for haptic feedback is described in
copending patent application Ser. No. 09/156,802 and application
Ser. No. 09/103,281, both incorporated herein by reference. Thus,
both the housing can provide haptic feedback (e.g., through the use
of an eccentric rotating mass on a motor coupled to the housing)
and the touchpad 16 can provide separate haptic feedback. This
allows the host to control two different tactile sensations
simultaneously to the user; for example, a vibration of a low
frequency can be conveyed through the housing to the user and a
higher frequency vibration can be conveyed to the user through the
touchpad 16. Each other button or other control provided with
haptic feedback can also provide tactile feedback independently
from the other controls.
[0031] The host application program(s) and/or operating system
preferably displays graphical images of the environment on display
device 12. The software and environment running on the host
computer 12 may be of a wide variety. For example, the host
application program can be a word processor, :spreadsheet, video or
computer game, drawing program, operating system, graphical user
interface, simulation, Web page or browser that implements HTML or
VRML instructions, scientific analysis program, virtual reality
training program or application, or other application program that
utilizes input from the touchpad 16 and outputs force feedback
commands to the touchpad 16. For example, many games and other
application programs include force feedback functionality and may
communicate with the touchpad 16 using a standard protocol/drivers
such as I-Force.RTM., FEELit.RTM., or Touchsense.TM. available from
Immersion Corporation of San Jose, Calif.
[0032] The touchpad 16 can include circuitry necessary to report
control signals to the microprocessor of the host computer 10 and
to process command signals from the host's microprocessor. For
example, appropriate sensors (and related circuitry) are used to
report the position of the user's finger on the touchpad 16. The
touchpad device also includes circuitry that receives signals from
the host and outputs tactile sensations in accordance with the host
signals using one or more actuators. In some embodiments, a
separate, local microprocessor can be provided for the touchpad 16
to both report touchpad sensor data to the host and/or to carry out
force commands received from the host, such commands including, for
example, the type of haptic sensation and parameters describing the
commanded haptic sensation. Alternatively, the touchpad
microprocessor can simply pass streamed data from the main
processor to the actuators. The term "force information" can
include both commands/parameters and streamed data. The touchpad
microprocessor can implement haptic sensations independently after
receiving a host command by controlling the touchpad actuators; or,
the host processor can maintain a greater degree of control over
the haptic sensations by controlling the actuators more directly.
In other embodiments, logic circuitry such as state machines
provided for the touchpad 16 can handle haptic sensations as
directed by the host main processor. Architectures and control
methods that can be used for reading sensor signals and providing
haptic feedback for a device are described in greater detail in
U.S. Pat. No. 5,734,373 and copending application Ser. Nos.
60/156,354, 60,133,208, 09/376,649, and 60/160,401, all
incorporated herein by reference.
[0033] FIG 2 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
device which can include the active touchpad 16 of the present
invention. The device can be a handheld remote control device 30,
which the user grasps in one hand and manipulates controls to
access the functions of an electronic device or appliance remotely
by a user (such as a television, video cassette recorder or DVD
player, audio/video receiver, Internet or network computer
connected to a television, etc.). For example, several buttons 32
can be included on the remote control device 30 to manipulate
functions of the controlled apparatus. A touchpad 16 can also be
provided to allow the user to provide more sophisticated
directional input. For example, a controlled apparatus may have a
selection screen in which a cursor may be moved, and the touchpad
16 can be manipulated to control the cursor in two dimensions. The
touchpad 16 includes the ability to output haptic sensations to the
user as described herein, based on a controlled value or event. For
example, a volume level passing a mid-point or reaching a maximum
level can cause a pulse to be output to the touchpad and to the
user.
[0034] In one application, the controlled apparatus can be a
computer system such as Web-TV from Microsoft Corp. or other
computing device which displays a graphical user interface and/or
web pages accessed over a network such as the Internet. The user
can control the direction of the cursor by moving a finger (or
other object) on the touchpad 16. The cursor can be used to select
and/or manipulate icons, windows, menu items, graphical buttons,
slider bars, scroll bars, or other graphical objects in a graphical
user interface or desktop interface. The cursor can also be used to
select and/or manipulate graphical objects on a web page, such as
links, images, buttons, etc. Other force sensations associated with
graphical objects are described below with reference to FIG. 7.
[0035] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment 40 of a
touchpad 16 of the present invention for providing haptic feedback
to the user. In this embodiment, one or more piezoelectric
actuators 42 are coupled to the underside of the touchpad 16. The
piezoelectric actuator 42 is driven by suitable electronics, as is
well known to those skilled in the art. In one embodiment, a single
piezoelectric actuator 42 is positioned at or near the center of
the touchpad 16, or off to one side if space constraints of the
housing require such a position. In other embodiments, multiple
piezoelectric actuators 42 can be positioned at different areas of
the touchpad; the dashed lines show one configuration, where an
actuator 42 is placed at each comer of the pad 16 and at the center
of the pad.
[0036] The piezoelectric actuators 42 can each output a small
pulse, vibration, or texture sensation on the touchpad 16 and to
the user if the user is contacting the touchpad. The entire
touchpad 16 is preferably moved with the forces output by
actuator(s) 42. Preferably, the forces output on the touchpad are
linear (or approximately linear) and along the z-axis,
approximately perpendicular to the surface of the touchpad 16 and
the top surface of computer 10. In a different embodiment, as
mentioned above, forces can be applied to the touchpad 16 to cause
side-to-side (e.g., x-y) motion of the pad in the plane of its
surface in addition to or instead of z-axis motion. For example,
one linear actuator can provide motion for the x-axis, and a second
linear actuator can provide motion for the y-axis and/or the
x-axis.
[0037] The frequency of a vibration output by an actuator 42 can be
varied by providing different control signals to an actuator 42.
Furthermore, the magnitude of a pulse or vibration can be
controlled based on the applied control signal. If multiple
actuators 42 are provided, a stronger vibration can be imparted on
the touchpad by activating two or more actuators simultaneously.
Furthermore, if an actuator is positioned at an extreme end of the
touchpad and is the only actuator that is activated, the user may
experience a stronger vibration on the side of the touchpad having
the actuator than on the opposite side of the touchpad. Different
magnitudes and localized effects can be obtained by activating some
but not all of the actuators. Since the tip of a user's finger that
is touching the pad is fairly sensitive, the output forces do not
have to be of a high magnitude for the haptic sensation to be
effective and compelling.
[0038] Besides using a finger to contact the touchpad, the user may
also hold other objects that directly contact the touchpad. Any
haptic sensations output on the pad can be transmitted through the
held object to the user's hand. For example, the user can hold a
stylus having a point that contacts the touchpad 16 more precisely
than a finger. Other objects may also be used. In some embodiments,
specialized objects can be used to enhance the haptic sensations.
For example, a stylus or other object having a flexible portion or
compliance may be able to magnify at least some of the touchpad
haptic sensations as experienced by the user.
[0039] The piezo-electric actuators 42 have several advantages for
the touchpad 16. These actuators can be made very thin and small,
allowing their use in compact housings that are typical for
portable electronic devices. They also require very low power, and
are thus suitable for devices with limited power (e.g., powered by
batteries). In some embodiments described herein, power for the
actuators can be drawn off a bus connecting the computer to the
touchpad (or touch screen). For example, if the touchpad 16 is
provided in a separate housing, a Universal Serial Bus can connect
the pad to the computer and provide power from the computer to the
pad as well as data (e.g. streaming force data, force commands,
etc.).
[0040] FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of the embodiment 40 of
the touchpad 16 of the present invention as shown in FIG. 3.
Touchpad 16 is directly coupled to a grounded piezo-electric
actuator 42 which operates to produce a force on the touchpad 16
when an electrical signal is input to the actuator. Typically, a
piezo-electric actuator includes two layers which can move relative
to each other when a current is applied to the actuator; here, the
grounded portion of the actuator remains stationary with respect to
the surrounding housing 41 while the moving portion of the actuator
and the touchpad move with respect to the housing 41. The operation
of piezo-electric actuators to output force based on an input
electrical signal is well known to those skilled the art.
[0041] The touchpad 16 can be coupled only to the actuator 42, or
can be additionally coupled to the housing of the computer device
at other locations besides the actuators 42. Preferably the other
couplings are compliant connections, using a material or element
such as a spring or foam. If such connections are not made
compliant, then the touchpad 16 itself preferably has some
compliance to allow portions of the pad to move in response to
actuator forces and to convey the haptic sensations to the user
more effectively.
[0042] Since the touchpad 16 is directly coupled to the actuator
42, any produced forces are directly applied to the touchpad 16.
The electric signal preferably is obtained from a microprocessor
and any circuitry required to convert the microprocessor signal to
an appropriate signal for use with the actuator 42.
[0043] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of another embodiment 50
of the present invention, in which the touchpad 16 is positioned on
one or more springs 52. The springs 52 couple the touchpad 16 to
the rigid housing of the computer 10 and allow the touchpad 16 to
be moved along the z-axis 56. Only a very small range of motion is
required to produce effective pulses (jolts) or vibrations on the
pad 16. Stops (not shown) can be positioned to limit the travel of
the touchpad 16 to a desired range along the z-axis.
[0044] An actuator 54 is also coupled to the touchpad 16 to impart
forces on the touchpad and cause the touchpad 16 to move along the
z-axis. In the present embodiment, actuator 54 is a linear voice
coil actuator, where the moving portion (bobbin) of the actuator is
directly coupled to the touchpad 16. The actuator 54 is grounded to
the computer 10 housing and outputs a linear force on the touchpad
16 and thus drives the touchpad along the z-axis. A short pulse or
jolt can be output, or the moving portion of the actuator can be
oscillated to provide a vibration having a particular desired
frequency. The springs 52 cause the touchpad 16 to return to a rest
position after a force from the actuator causes the touchpad to
move up or down. The springs can also provide a compliant
suspension for the touchpad 16 and allow forces output by the
actuator 54 to be amplified as explained above. Different types of
spring elements can be used in other embodiments to couple the
touchpad 16 to the rigid housing, such as leaf springs, foam,
flexures, or other compliant materials.
[0045] In some embodiments, the user is able to push the touchpad
16 along the z-axis to provide additional input to the computer 10.
For example, a sensor can be used to detect the position of the
touchpad 16 along the z-axis, such as an optical sensor, magnetic
sensor, Polhemus sensor, etc. The position on the z-axis can be
used to provide proportional input to the computer, for example. In
addition, other types of forces can be output along the z-axis,
such as spring forces, damping forces, inertial forces, and other
position-based forces, as disclosed in co-pending patent
application Ser. No. 09/______ entitled, "Haptic Feedback for
Directional Control Pads." In addition, 3-D elevations can be
simulated in the graphical environment by moving the pad to
different elevations along the z-axis. If the pad 16 can be used as
an analog input depending on the distance the entire pad is moved
along the z-axis, and/or if kinesthetic (force) feedback is applied
in the z-axis degree of freedom, then a greater range of motion for
the pad 16 along the z-axis is desirable. An elastomeric layer can
be provided if the touchpad 16 is able to be pressed by the user to
close a switch and provide button or switch input to the computer
10 (e.g. using contact switches, optical switches, or the like). If
such z-axis movement of the pad 16 is allowed, it is preferred that
the z-axis movement require a relatively large amount of force to
move the pad at least initially, since such z-axis movement may not
be desired during normal use of the pad by the user.
[0046] The voice coil actuator 54 preferably includes a coil and a
magnet, where a current is flowed through the coil and interacts
with the magnetic field of the magnet to cause a force on the
moving portion of the actuator (the coil or the magnet, depending
on the implementation), as is well known to those skilled in the
art and is described in copending application Ser. No. 09/156,802,
incorporated herein by reference. Other types of actuators can also
be used, such as a standard speaker, an E-core type actuator (as
described in copending application Ser. No. 09/431,383,
incorporated herein by reference), a solenoid, a pager motor, a DC
motor, moving magnet actuator (described in copending provisional
application Ser. No. 60/133,208 and patent application Ser. No.
09/431,383, both incorporated herein by reference), or other type
of actuator. Furthermore, the actuator can be positioned to output
linear motion along an axis perpendicular to the z-axis or along
another direction different from the z-axis (rotary or linear),
where a mechanism converts such output motion to linear motion
along the z-axis as is well known to those skilled in the art.
[0047] The touchpad 16 can also be integrated with an elastomeric
layer and/or a printed circuit board in a sub-assembly, where one
or more actuators are coupled to the printed circuit board to
provide tactile sensations to the touchpad 16. Helical springs can
also be provided to engage electrical contacts. Or, multiple voice
coil actuators can be positioned at different locations under the
touchpad 16. These embodiments are described in copending
application Ser. No. 09/______ entitled, "Haptic Feedback for
Directional Control Pads." Any of the actuators described in that
copending application can also be used in the present
invention.
[0048] FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of a third embodiment 60
of the haptic touchpad 16 of the present invention. In this
embodiment, the stationary portion of the actuator is coupled to
the touchpad 16, and the moving portion of the actuator is coupled
to an inertial mass to provide inertial haptic sensations.
[0049] Touchpad 16 can be compliantly mounted to the rigid housing
of the computer device similarly to the embodiments described
above. For example, one or more spring elements 62 can be coupled
between the touchpad and the housing. These springs can be helical
or leaf springs, a compliant material such as rubber or foam,
flexures, etc.
[0050] One or more actuators 64 are coupled to the underside of the
touchpad 16. In the embodiment of FIG. 6, a piezo-electric actuator
is shown. One portion 66 of each actuator 64 is coupled to the
touchpad 16, and the other portion 68 is coupled to a mass 70.
Thus, when the portion 68 is moved relative to the portion 66, the
mass 70 is moved with the portion 68. The mass 70 can be any
suitable object of the desired weight, such as plastic or metal
material. The mass 70 is moved approximately along the z-axis and
is not coupled to the housing, allowing free motion. The motion of
the mass 70 along the z-axis causes an inertial force that is
transmitted through the actuator 64 to the touchpad 16, and the
touchpad 16 moves along the z-axis due to the compliant coupling
62. The motion of the touchpad 16 is felt by the user contacting
the touchpad 16 as a haptic sensation.
[0051] In different embodiments, other types of actuators can be
used. For example, a linear voice coil actuator as described for
FIG. 5 can be used, in which an inertial mass is coupled to the
linear-moving portion of the voice coil actuator. Other actuators
can also be used, such as solenoids, pager motors, moving magnet
actuators, E-core actuators, etc. Many actuators used for inertial
haptic sensations are described in copending application Ser. No.
09/______, entitled, "Tactile Mouse Device," filed Dec. 7, 1999,
and which is incorporated herein by reference. Furthermore, a
rotary actuator can be used, where the rotary output force is
converted to a linear force approximately along the z-axis. For
example, the rotary force can be converted using a flexure, as
described in provisional application Ser. No. 60/______, entitled,
"Haptic Interface Device Providing Linear Tactile Sensations Using
a Rotary Actuator," filed Dec. 21, 1999 and incorporated herein by
reference.
[0052] In the preferred linear force implementation, the direction
or degree of freedom that the force is applied on the touchpad with
respect to the inertial mass is important. If a significant
component of the force is applied in the planar workspace of the
touchpad (i.e., along the X or Y axis) with respect to the inertial
mass, a short pulse or vibration can interfere with the user's
object motion in one or both of those planar degrees of freedom and
thereby impair the user's ability to accurately guide a controlled
graphical object, such as a cursor, to a given target. Since a
primary function of the touchpad is accurate targeting, a tactile
sensation that distorts or impairs targeting, even mildly, is
undesirable. To solve this problem, the touchpad device of the
present invention applies inertial forces substantially along the Z
axis, orthogonal to the planar X and Y axes of the touchpad
surface. In such a configuration, tactile sensations can be applied
at a perceptually strong level for the user without impairing the
ability to accurately position a user controlled graphical object
in the X and Y axes of the screen. Furthermore, since the tactile
sensations are directed in a third degree of freedom relative to
the two-dimensional planar workspace and display screen, jolts or
pulses output along the Z axis feel much more like
three-dimensional bumps or divots to the user that come "out" or go
"into" the screen, increasing the realism of the tactile sensations
and creating a more compelling interaction. For example, an
upwardly-directed pulse that is output when the cursor is moved
over a window border creates the illusion that the user is moving a
finger or other object "over" a bump at the window border.
[0053] FIG. 7 is a top elevational view of the touchpad 16 of the
present invention. Touchpad 16 can in some embodiments be used
simply as a positioning device, where the entire area of the pad
provides cursor control. In other embodiments, different regions of
the pad can be designated for different functions. In some of these
region embodiments, each region can be provided with an actuator
located under the region, while other region embodiments may use a
single actuator that imparts forces on the entire pad 16. In the
embodiment shown, a central cursor control region 70 is used to
position the cursor.
[0054] The cursor control region 70 of the pad 16 can cause forces
to be output on the pad based on interactions of the controlled
cursor with the graphical environment and/or events in that
environment. The user moves a finger or other object within region
70 to correspondingly move the cursor 20. Forces are preferably
associated with the interactions of the cursor with displayed
graphical objects. For example, a jolt or "pulse" sensation can be
output, which is a single impulse of force that quickly rises to
the desired magnitude and then is turned off or quickly decays back
to zero or small magnitude. The touchpad 16 can be jolted in the
z-axis to provide the pulse. A vibration sensation can also be
output, which is a time-varying force that is typically periodic.
The vibration can cause the touchpad 16 or portions thereof to
oscillate back and forth on the z axis, and can be output by a host
or local microprocessor to simulate a particular effect that is
occurring in a host application.
[0055] Another type of force sensation that can be output on the
touchpad 16 is a texture force. This type of force is similar to a
pulse force, but depends on the position of the user's finger on
the area of the touchpad and/or on the location of the cursor in
the graphical environment. Thus, texture bumps are output depending
on whether the cursor has moved over a location of a bump in a
graphical object. This type of force is spatially-dependent, i.e. a
force is output depending on the location of the cursor as it moves
over a designated textured area; when the cursor is positioned
between "bumps" of the texture, no force is output, and when the
cursor moves over a bump, a force is output. This can be achieved
by host control (e.g., the host sends the pulse signals as the
cursor is dragged over the grating). In some embodiments, a
separate touchpad microprocessor can be dedicated for haptic
feedback with the touchpad, and the texture effect and be achieved
using local control (e.g., the host sends a high level command with
texture parameters and the sensation is directly controlled by the
touchpad processor). In other cases a texture can be performed by
presenting a vibration to a user, the vibration being dependent
upon the current velocity of the user's finger (or other object) on
the touchpad. When the finger is stationary, the vibration is
deactivated; as the finger is moved faster, the frequency and
magnitude of the vibration is increased. This sensation can be
controlled locally by the touchpad processor (if present), or be
controlled by the host. Local control by the pad processor may
eliminate communication burden in some embodiments. Other spatial
force sensations can also be output. In addition, any of the
described force sensations herein can be output simultaneously or
otherwise combined as desired.
[0056] Different types of graphical objects can be associated with
tactile sensations. Tactile sensations can output on the touchpad
16 based on interaction between a cursor and a window. For example,
a z-axis "bump" or pulse can be output on the touchpad to signal
the user of the location of the cursor when the cursor is moved
over a border of a window. When the cursor is moved within the
window's borders, a texture force sensation can be output. The
texture can be a series of bumps that are spatially arranged within
the area of the window in a predefined pattern; when the cursor
moves over a designated bump area, a bump force is output on the
touchpad. A pulse or bump force can be output when the cursor is
moved over a selectable object, such as a link in a displayed web
page or an icon. A vibration can also be output to signify a
graphical object which the cursor is currently positioned over.
Furthermore, features of a document displaying in a window can also
be associated with force sensations. For example, a pulse can be
output on the touchpad when a page break in a document is scrolled
past a particular area of the window. Page breaks or line breaks in
a document can similarly be associated with force sensations such
as bumps or vibrations.
[0057] Furthermore, a menu items in a displayed menu can be
selected by the user after a menu heading or graphical button is
selected. The individual menu items in the menu can be associated
with forces. For example, vertical (z-axis) bumps or pulses can be
output when the cursor is moved over the border between menu items.
The sensations for certain menu choices can be stronger than others
to indicate importance or frequency of use, i.e., the most used
menu choices can be associated with higher-magnitude (stronger)
pulses than the less used menu choices. Also, currently-disabled
menu choices can have a weaker pulse, or no pulse, to indicate that
the menu choice is not enabled at that time. Furthermore, when
providing tiled menus in which a sub-menu is displayed after a
particular menu element is selected, as in Microsoft Windows.TM.,
pulse sensations can be sent when a sub-menu is displayed. This can
be very useful because users may not expect a sub-menu to be
displayed when moving a cursor on a menu element. Icons can be
associated with textures, pulses, and vibrations similarly to the
windows described above. Drawing or CAD programs also have many
features which can be associated with similar haptic sensations,
such as displayed (or invisible) grid lines or dots, control points
of a drawn object, etc.
[0058] In other related interactions, when a rate control or
scrolling function is performed with the touchpad (through use of
the cursor), a vibration can be displayed on the device to indicate
that scrolling is in process. When reaching the end of a numerical
range that is being adjusted (such as volume), a pulse can be
output to indicate that the end of the range has been reached.
Pulse sensations can be used to indicate the location of the
"ticks" for discrete values or settings in the adjusted range. A
pulse can also be output to inform the user when the center of the
range is reached. Different strength pulses can also be used,
larger strength indicating the more important ticks. In other
instances, strength and/or frequency of a vibration can be
correlated with the adjustment of a control to indicate current
magnitude of the volume or other adjusted value. In other
interactions, a vibration sensation can be used to indicate that a
control function is active. Furthermore, in some cases a user
performs a function, like selection or cutting or pasting a
document, and there is a delay between the button press that
commands the function and the execution of the function, due to
processing delays or other delays. A pulse sensation can be used to
indicate that the function (the cut or paste) has been
executed.
[0059] Furthermore, the magnitude of output forces on the touchpad
can depend on the event or interaction in the graphical
environment. For example, the force pulse can be a different
magnitude of force depending on the type of graphical object
encountered by the cursor. For example, a pulses of higher
magnitude can be output when the cursor moves over windows, while
pulses of lower magnitude can be output when the cursor moves over
icons. The magnitude of the pulses can also depend on other
characteristics of graphical objects, such as an active window as
distinguished a background window, file folder icons of different
priorities designated by the user, icons for games as distinguished
from icons for business applications, different menu items in a
drop-down menu, etc. The user or developer can also preferably
associate particular graphical objects with customized haptic
sensations.
[0060] User-independent events can also be relayed to the user
using haptic sensations on the touchpad. An event occurring within
the graphical environment, such as an appointment reminder, receipt
of email, explosion in a game, etc., can be signified using a
vibration, pulse, or other time-based force. The force sensation
can be varied to signify different events of the same type. For
example, vibrations of different frequency can each be used to
differentiate different events or different characteristics of
events, such as particular users sending email, the priority of an
event, or the initiation or conclusion of particular tasks (e.g.
the downloading of a document or data over a network). When the
host system is "thinking," requiring the user to wait while a
function is being performed or accessed (usually when a timer is
displayed by the host) it is often a surprise when the function is
complete. If the user takes his or her eyes off the screen, he or
she may not be aware that the function is complete. A pulse
sensation can be sent to indicate that the "thinking" is over.
[0061] A software designer may want to allow a user to be able to
select options or a software function by positioning a cursor over
an area on the screen using the touchpad, but not require pressing
a physical button or tapping the touchpad to actually select the
option. Currently, it is problematic to allow such selection
because a user has physical confirmation of execution when pressing
a physical button. A pulse sent to the touchpad of the present
invention can act as that physical confirmation without the user
having to press a button or other control for selection. For
example, a user can position a cursor over a web page element, and
once the cursor is within the desired region for a given period of
time, an associated function can be executed. This is indicated to
the user through a tactile pulse sent to the pad 16.
[0062] The above-described force sensations can also be used in
games or simulations. For example, a vibration can be output when a
user-controlled racing car is driving on a dirt shoulder of a
displayed road, a pulse can be output when the car collides with
another object, and a varying-frequency vibration can be output
when a vehicle engine starts and rumbles. The magnitude of pulses
can be based on the severity of a collision or explosion, the size
of the controlled graphical object or entity (and/or the size of a
different graphical object/entity that is interacted with), etc.
Force sensations can also be output based on user-independent
events in the game or simulation, such as pulses when bullets are
fired at the user's character.
[0063] The above haptic sensations can be similar to those
described in copending patent application Ser. No. 09/253,132, and
application Ser. No. 09/______, entitled, "Tactile Mouse Device,"
filed Dec. 7, 1999, which are both incorporated herein by
reference. Other control devices or grips that can include a
touchpad 16 of the present invention in its housing include a
gamepad, mouse or trackball device for manipulating a cursor or
other graphical objects in a computer-generated environment; or a
pressure sphere or the like. For example, the touchpad 16 can be
provided on the housing of a computer mouse to provide additional
input to the host computer. Furthermore, selective disturbance
filtering of forces, as described in copending patent application
Ser. No. 08/839,249, and shaping of force signals to drive the
touchpad with impulse waves as described in U.S. Pat. No.
5,959,613, can be used with the present invention, both disclosures
incorporated herein by reference. Such impulses are also effective
when driven with stored power in a battery on the computer 10 or
from a bus such as USB connected to a host computer.
[0064] The touchpad 16 can also be provided with different control
regions that provide separate input from the main cursor control
region 70. In some embodiments, the different regions can be
physically marked with lines, borders, or textures on the surface
of the pad 16 (and/or sounds from the computer 10) so that the user
can visually, audibly, and/or or tactilely tell which region he or
she is contacting on the pad.
[0065] For example, scroll or rate control regions 62a and 62b can
be used to provide input to perform a rate control task, such as
scrolling documents, adjusting a value (such as audio volume,
speaker balance, monitor display brightness, etc.), or
panning/tilting the view in a game or virtual reality simulation.
Region 62a can be used by placing a finger (or other object) within
the region, where the upper portion of the region will increase the
value, scroll up, etc., and the lower portion of the region will
decrease the value, scroll down, etc. In embodiments that can read
the amount of pressure placed on the pad 16, the amount of pressure
can directly control the rate of adjustment; e.g., a greater
pressure will cause a document to scroll faster. The region 62b can
similarly be used for horizontal (left/right) scrolling or rate
control adjustment of a different value, view, etc.
[0066] Particular haptic effects can be associated with the control
regions 62a and 62b. For example, when using the rate control
region 62a or 62b, a vibration of a particular frequency can be
output on the pad 16. In those embodiments having multiple
actuators, an actuator placed directly under the region 62a or 62b
can be activated to provide a more localized tactile sensation for
the "active" (currently used) region. As a portion of a region 62
is pressed for rate control, pulses can be output on the pad (or
region of the pad) to indicate when a page has scroll by, a
particular value has passed, etc. A vibration can also be
continually output while the user contacts the region 62a or
62b.
[0067] Other regions 64 can also be positioned on the touchpad 16.
For example, each of regions 64 provides a small rectangular area,
like a button, which the user can point to in order to initiate a
function associated with the pointed-to region. The regions 64 can
initiate such computer functions as running a program, opening or
closing a window, going "forward" or "back" in a queue of web pages
in a web browser, powering the computer 10 or initiating a "sleep"
mode, checking mail, firing a gun in a game, cutting or pasting
data from a buffer, selecting a font, etc. The regions 64 can
duplicate functions and buttons provided in an application program
or provide new, different functions.
[0068] Similarly to regions 62, the regions 64 an each be
associated with haptic sensations; for example, a region 64 can
provide a pulse sensation when it has been selected by the user,
providing instant feedback that the function has been selected.
Furthermore, the same types of regions can be associated with
similar-feeling haptic sensations. For example, each word processor
related region 64 can, when pointed to, cause a pulse of a
particular strength, while each game-related region can provide a
pulse of different strength or a vibration. Furthermore, when the
user moves the pointing object from one region 62 or 64 to another,
a haptic sensation (such as a pulse) can be output on the pad 16 to
signify that a region border has been crossed.
[0069] In addition, the regions are preferably programmable in size
and shape as well as in the function with which they are
associated. Thus, the functions for regions 64 can change based on
an active application program in the graphical environment and/or
based on user preferences input to and/or stored on the computer
10. Preferably, the size and location of each of the regions can be
adjusted by the user or by an application program, and any or all
of the regions can be completely removed if desired. Furthermore,
the user is preferably able to assign particular haptic sensations
to particular areas or types of areas based on types of functions
associated with those areas, as desired. Different haptic
sensations can be designed in a tool such as Immersion Studio.TM.
available from Immersion Corp. of San Jose, Calif.
[0070] It should be noted that the regions 62 and 64 need not be
physical regions of the touchpad 16. That is, the entire touchpad
16 surface need merely provide coordinates of user contact to the
processor of the computer and software on the computer can
designate where different regions are located. The computer can
interpret the coordinates and, based on the location of the user
contact, can interpret the touchpad input signal as a cursor
control signal or a different type of signal, such as rate control,
button function, etc. The local touchpad microprocessor, if
present, may alternatively interpret the function associated with
the user contact location and report appropriate signal or data to
the host processor (such as position coordinates or a button
signal), thus keeping the host processor ignorant of the lower
level processing. In other embodiments, the touchpad 16 can be
physically designed to output different signals to the computer
based on different regions marked on the touchpad surface that are
contacted by the user; e.g. each region can be sensed by a
different sensor or sensor array.
[0071] FIGS. 8a and 8b are top plan and side cross-sectional views,
respectively, of another computer device embodiment 80 including a
form of the haptic touchpad 16 of the present invention. Device 80
is in the form of a portable computer device such as "personal
digital assistant" (PDA), a "pen-based" computer, "electronic
book", or similar device (collectively known as a "personal digital
assistant" or PDA herein). Those devices which allow a user to
input information by touching a display screen or readout in some
fashion are primarily relevant to this embodiment of the present
invention. Such devices can include the Palm Pilot from 3Com Corp.,
the Newton from Apple Computer, pocket-sized computer devices from
Casio, Hewlett-Packard, or other manufacturers, cellular phones or
pagers having touch screens, etc.
[0072] In one embodiment of a device 80, a display screen 82
typically covers a large portion of the surface of the computer
device 80. Screen 82 is preferably a flat-panel display as is well
known to those skilled in the art and can display text, images,
animations, etc.; in some embodiments screen 80 is as functional as
any personal computer screen. Display screen 82 is preferably a
"touch screen" that includes sensors which allow the user to input
information to the computer device 80 by physically contacting the
screen 80 (i.e. it is another form of planar "touch device" similar
to the touchpad 16). For example, a transparent sensor film can be
overlaid on the screen 80, where the film can detect pressure from
an object contacting the film. The sensor devices for implementing
touch screens are well known to those skilled in the art.
[0073] The user can select graphically-displayed buttons or other
graphical objects by pressing a finger or a stylus to the screen 82
at the exact location where the graphical object is displayed.
Furthermore, some embodiments allow the user to "draw" or "write"
on the screen by displaying graphical "ink" images 85 at locations
where the user has pressed a tip of a stylus, finger, or other
object. Handwritten characters can be recognized by software
running on the device microprocessor as commands, data, or other
input. In other embodiments, the user can provide input
additionally or alternatively through voice recognition, where a
microphone on the device inputs the user's voice which is
translated to appropriate commands or data by software running on
the device. Physical buttons 84 can also be included in the housing
of the device 80 to provide particular commands to the device 80
when the buttons are pressed. Many PDA's are characterized by the
lack of a standard keyboard for character input from the user;
rather, an alternative input mode is used, such as using a stylus
to draw characters on the screen, voice recognition, etc. However,
some PDA's also include a fully-functional keyboard as well as a
touch screen, where the keyboard is typically much smaller than a
standard-sized keyboard. In yet other embodiments, standard-size
laptop computers with standard keyboards may include flat-panel
touch-input display screens, and such screens (similar to screen 12
of FIG. 1) can be provided with haptic feedback according to the
present invention.
[0074] In the present invention, the touch screen 82 provides
haptic feedback to the user similarly to the touchpad 16 described
in previous embodiments. One or more actuators 86 can be coupled to
the underside of the touch screen 82 to provide haptic feedback
such as pulses, vibrations, and textures; for example, an actuator
86 can be positioned near each comer of the screen 82, as shown in
FIG. 8a. Other configurations of actuators can also be used. The
user can experience the haptic feedback through a finger or a held
object such as a stylus 87 that is contacting the screen 82.
[0075] As shown in FIG. 8b, the touch screen 82 is preferably
coupled to the housing 88 of the device 80 by one or more spring or
compliant elements 90, such as helical springs, leaf springs,
flexures, or compliant material (foam, rubber, etc.) The compliant
element allows the touch screen 82 to move approximately along the
z-axis, thereby providing haptic feedback similarly to the touchpad
embodiments described above. Actuators 86 can be piezo-electric
actuators, voice coil actuators, or any of the other types of
actuators described above for the touchpad embodiments. As shown in
FIG. 8b, the actuators 86 are directly coupled to the touch screen
82 similarly to the touchpad embodiment of FIG. 3; alternatively,
an inertial mass can be moved to provide inertial feedback in the
z-axis of the touch screen, similarly to the touchpad embodiment of
FIG. 6. Other features described above for the touchpad are equally
applicable to the touch screen embodiment 80.
[0076] In the embodiments of touch input devices (touchpad and
touch screen) described herein, it is also advantageous that
contact of the user is detected by the touch input device. Since
haptic feedback need only be output when the user is contacting the
touch device, this detection allows haptic feedback to be stopped
(actuators "turned off") when no objects are contacting the touch
input device. This feature can conserve battery power for portable
devices. If a local touch device microprocessor (or similar
circuitry) is being used in the computer, such a microprocessor can
turn off actuator output when no user contact is sensed, thus
alleviating the host processor of additional computational
burden.
[0077] While this invention has been described in terms of several
preferred embodiments, it is contemplated that alterations,
permutations, and equivalents thereof will become apparent to those
skilled in. the art upon a reading of the specification and study
of the drawings. For example, many different types of actuators can
be used to output tactile sensations to the user. Furthermore, many
of the features described in one embodiment can be used
interchangeably with other embodiments. Furthermore, certain
terminology has been used for the purposes of descriptive clarity,
and not to limit the present invention.
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